Saadu Alanamu, one of the candidates that was dropped from the list of newly appointed board members of the ICPC, says a witness was coerced and forced to testify against him.
Alanamu, is facing an eight-count charge before Justice Mahmud Gafar of the Kwara State High Court, accused of collecting N5 million bribe from a contractor during his tenure as Chairman of the Kwara State Polytechnic Tenders Board.
He was first arraigned in September, together with Salman Sulaiman, the contractor, who was charged with offering bribe to a public officer.
Then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had withdrawn Alanamu’s nomination into the ICPC board, alongside that of Maimuna Aliyu, when ICIR reported that both were already under investigation by the same ICPC.
At the resumption of trial on Wednesday, Sule Amedu and Ijezie Ezeana, counsels to the ICPC produced one Oluwaseun Oshinyemi as the first prosecution witness.
In the course of his testimony, the prosecution sought to tender the written statement of the second accused, Sulaiman, as evidence, but the defence counsel raised an objection saying the statement was not made voluntarily.
They alleged that Sulaiman was “forced, harassed, intimidated and coerced” into making the statement to ICPC investigators.
Consequently, Justice Gafar ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statement was made voluntarily or not.
On conclusion of evidence for both the prosecution and the defence in the trial-within-trial, the case was adjourned to November 21, 22, and 23 for address in the trial-within-trial and continuation of hearing in the substantive matter.
The ICPC says it has strong evidence of collusion, bid rigging and corrupt practices against Sulaiman’s company, Namylas Nig. Ltd.
Investigations reveal that the company used falsified, forged and doctored PENCOM Compliance Certificate, Tax Clearance Certificate and ITF Certificate of Compliance to submit its bid during the bidding process.
Their offences are contrary to section 9(1) (a) and punishable under Section 9(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.